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Speaker Topic Abstract

Andrew Fisher Jesus Racing

Christianity – seeking the right to speak

Having formed the foundation stones of our Society, over the past 30 years Christianity (and for that matter Christians) seem to have lost relevance in the marketplace. This seminar will look at why this has happened and explore how we can re-engage in the conversation.

Dan Paterson Ravi Zacharias International Ministries

Why I am not an Atheist

In past centuries our culture tended to appeal to God to make sense of life and the universe, but now tor thinking people in Western culture, Atheism is almost a default option for belief, and the long list of arguments against Christianity dominate religious talk online and in the public sphere.

Has Science buried God?

Strong voices in the scientific community like Richard Dawkins and Stephen Hawking are convinced that science and God simply do not mix. Are they right? Do the discoveries of science point towards or away from a Creator? *

Dave Miers Lead Pastor City on a Hill, Brisbane

Cross-shaped Leadership

The cross of Christ should be the greatest influence upon your leadership. The cross doesn’t just determine why we do what we do, but it also determines what we do and how we do it. The cross is meant to permeate through every part of Christian leadership.

Erica Hamence Associate Minister, Barneys Broadway

What makes you you?

Who am I? Questions about identity have always been important, but in our culture they’re hard to answer. Does ‘you do you’ really work? And how does a Christian framework help us figure out who we are?

Graham Stanton Dean and Lecturer at Ridley College, Melbourne

The Bible – A Life-changing story

What is the Bible what are we supposed to do with it? It’s not a magic book and it’s more than just a list of commandments or wise thoughts about life. We’ll see what God offers us in the Bible and what sort of response from us makes sense in light of that.

Greg Clarke Former CEO, Bible Society Australia

The great Bible swindle

“Exposing the Invisible Book: the Bible’s hidden role in Australian culture” Greg Clarke, author of The Great Bible Swindle, reveals the secrets about how the Bible has shaped the Australia we know and love. *

Guy Mason Lead Pastor and founder of City on a Hill Church

Living as a City on a Hill

How can we live lives that point people to the beauty, truth and relevance of Jesus? Is it through lunchtime Bible studies and Sunday church services? Or are we made for something more? What does it mean to stand as a light among our friends, family and school community?

John Dickson Australian writer, academic and speaker – public advocate for the Christian faith

A doubters guide to Jesus

We cannot fit Jesus into a box. Our best information points not to a tidy, monolithic Jesus, but to a complex, multi-layered and, at times, contradictory figure. Jesus is destined to stretch our imaginations, confront our beliefs, and challenge our lifestyles for many years to come.

Better off without Christianity?

The atheist Christopher Hitchens famously wrote that “Religion poisons everything”. How has Christianity influenced our world, and if Christian history is full of violence and oppression, how can anyone still take Jesus seriously today?

Why trust the Gospels?

Truth is under siege in our sceptical age. Can we really trust the Bible’s origins, accuracy and authority? In particular, is there historical support for the reliability and centrality of the gospels?

A doubters guide to the Bible

Do you or those around you have reasons not to believe in Christianity? John will present the main themes of the whole of the Bible as an account of God’s promise to restore humanity to himself, and humanity to one another and to creation. For believers and sceptics alike.

What’s with the evil and suffering in the world?

A child catches a rare brain virus and is affected for life. A dictator murders millions. What sort of God allows things like this to happen? Can we still believe in God in the face of all the suffering and pain in the world?

* Shorter talk (18 minutes)

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Jordan Thyer RZIM Speaker, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries

Salt or salty?

In our culture Christianity is increasingly viewed as restrictive and harmful, and Christians can be perceived as being ‘salty’ about everything pop-culture loves. So, what did Jesus mean when he told his disciples to be “salt of the earth”? What should this look like?

Justine Toh Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Public Christianity

Self-help as secular salvation

Justine explores how our contemporary obsession with wellness is a collective hangover from a religious past – one that substitutes personal for social transformation – and what might prove to be the cure. *

What stories do we live by

In a world that encourages us to be the author of our own stories, what does it mean to take up our role in the greatest story ever told? Finding ourselves in God’s story can inspire us to live countercultural lives.

Karl Faase CEO of Olive Tree Media

How the teaching of Jesus changed the world and how following Jesus will change your life

Many of those who seek to tear down institutional religion often do not recognise that basic cultural values, like Individual dignity and rights, the sanctity of life, caring for the poor, the place of women, freedom of speech and the pursuit of science, have their origins in the teachings and influence of Jesus. How should we respond?

Leon Stead Senior Pastor, Narrabeen Baptist

Why shouldn’t I hide my faith?

In our culture there’s pressure to pursue prosperity, power and pleasure above all else. Following Jesus is also increasingly out of favour. What to do? The book of Esther has some answers—examining complex characters living in a cultural landscape that mirrors our own.

Matt Prater Senior Pastor of New Hope, Brisbane and radio host

Communicating truth in a digital age

Advertising targets us every day through the TV, radio, internet, billboards and more. How do we communicate effectively amongst the media avalanche? What’s the most effective way of getting our message across?

Melissa Lipsett Group Chief Operating Officer, Bible Society Australia

Who are you #following?

We all love a ‘selfie’ but have we become so consumed by self that we think the gospel is all about me? In a culture fixated on being ‘true to yourself’, what might be gained by following Jesus for the sake of others?

Mike Frost Head of Missiology, Morling College, Sydney

Living Missionally

How can we live lives that alert people to the universal reign of God through Christ? Is it more than just lunchtime meetings and Bible studies? What does it mean to be a missional presence in your school and neighbourhood?

Mike Hands Head Pastor at Newlife Church, Brisbane

Welcome to the revolution

Faith was never meant to be boring. When Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God he had more in mind than a Sunday Church service. Jesus came to begin a movement, a revolution that would upend power-structures through radical humility and love, but what does this revolution look like today, and how do we become a part of it?

Welcome to the revolution

Faith was never meant to be boring. When Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God he had more in mind than a Sunday Church service. Jesus came to begin a movement, a revolution that would upend power-structures through radical humility and love, but what does this revolution look like today, and how do we become a part of it? *

Mike Raiter Director of the Centre of Bible Preaching, Melbourne

Jesus really rose from the dead

Christianity stands or falls on the fact of Christ’s resurrection. If death is the end for all of us, then it’s hard to see much purpose in life. But if death isn’t the end, and is just the gateway to eternal life, that changes everything. How can we be confident that Jesus conquered death?

Murray Smith Lecturer in Biblical studies (Greek and New Testament) at Christ College, Sydney

Jesus’ resurrection: What it means for him, for us, and for the world

Most Christians confess that Jesus rose to life, even if they have some niggling doubts about whether it really happened. Jesus’ resurrection is the greatest event the world has ever seen. We’ll explore what the resurrection means for Jesus, what it means for us, and what it means for the world.

Natasha Moore Research Fellow at the Centre for Public Christianity

Am I a bigot? Tolerance and the lost art of free speech

Is it possible to disagree with someone and love them at the same time? In a culture of growing intolerance, thinking about what God is like can help us rediscover why freedom of speech is so important.

* Shorter talk (18 minutes)

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Patricia Weerakoon Christian Sexologist

Sex: What has God got to do with it?

The world challenges you to consume and do whatever feels good to you. What makes you vulnerable to the peer pressure of your generation? Does God have anything to say about sex? Is it possible to live a countercultural lifestyle and be happy? Explore the challenges of living in a super-sexualised cyber world and discover God’s plan for sex and relationships.

Sex: What has God got to do with it?

The world challenges you to consume and do whatever feels good to you. What makes you vulnerable to the peer pressure of your generation? Does God have anything to say about sex? Is it possible to live a countercultural lifestyle and be happy? Explore the challenges of living in a super-sexualised cyber world and discover God’s plan for sex and relationships. *

Know your worth. Who am I?

Who or what determines your identity? Your social media profile? Your body image? Your sexual prowess? Your good behaviour and reputation? Your identity is in Christ, not in what people think of you. Patricia will discuss why teen brains are particularly vulnerable to the corrosive influences of our sexualised culture.

Peter Ryan Director, Cornhill

Why trust the Gospels?

Whether it’s a Hollywood movie, or a newspaper story, or a lunchtime conversation, it’s common nowadays for many to question the historical reliability of the Gospels. Can we actually trust what the Gospels say or are they just a bunch of made-up stories?

Richard Shumack Research Fellow at the Centre for Public Christianity and the Director of Melbourne School of Theology’s Islamic Studies

What is true Islam and who is my Muslim neighbour?

All of us have Muslim friends, classmates and sporting teammates. But what do they believe? This session explains the basic beliefs of Muslims, why you shouldn’t be scared of your Muslim neighbour and why it is super-easy to talk to Muslim friends about Jesus.

Sarah Deutscher Executive Pastor, Red Church Melbourne

Christ and culture

We will look at our culture and how it shapes and forms us, giving us certain values and beliefs that are more powerful in determining how we live than the gospel appears to be. We will rediscover the story of the gospel and be encouraged to actively participate in this bigger story.

Sarah French Director for Next Generations Ministry, Riverton Baptist

Why is self-control so hard?

Christians are called to be people who can demonstrate ‘godly’ character. So why is it so hard to grow in our character? Why is self-control so hard to come by, especially in those moments when we need it the most?

Simon Smart Executive Director of the Centre for Public Christianity

It’s a girl! Is the Christian gospel good news for women?

What does Christianity’s chequered treatment of women mean for its credibility today? And is the Christian faith a force for the oppression of women, or for their flourishing? We will consider Biblical, historical and cultural material in order to try to make sense of the sometimes troubled relationship between women and the Christian Faith.

The good Life: Understanding the power and the beauty of the Christian worldview

We all have a worldview even if we don’t know it, and it has huge implications for how we view ourselves, others and our place in life. Simon will introduce students to the concept of worldview, explaining what it is and why it matters. He will suggest that Christianity offers the most attractive, coherent and liveable worldview you can find.

Stephanie Judd Associate Minister, City on a Hill

Will I be okay?

In a world where relationships can be uncertain, and friends and family disappoint, we can struggle to find a sense of worth, or a strong sense of identity. Understanding that we are known, secure and loved by God can make all the difference.

Travis Johnson Director, Access The Story

Accessing the story

A good movie has the potential to be a transformational experience. God’s story has far more capacity to bring transformation into our lives – because it is the greatest story of all time. We will explore how we can connect with the Bible as an overarching story: one that has to be experienced and embraced and retold.

e * Shorter talk (18 minutes)